The History of the Legacy Expo

The first Legacy Expo took place in Toronto, Ontario Canada in May of 2024. It was founded by Michael Brooke, who’s hospice volunteering experience had profoundly impacted his life, especially when he was helping his father through his final days with cancer.

His father was able to have a peaceful death surrounded by loved ones. Michael saw the good that hospices can provide and it helped him realize that he needed a shift in his life. So in 2018, after selling his publishing business he started work at a funeral home, attending over 750 funerals.

Being surrounded by death gave Michael a profound appreciation for life. Witnessing so many family and friends saying goodbye to their loved ones inspired a new business idea, one where he could help capture people’s stories. Out of this new idea came the idea for the Legacy Expo, an event designed to demystify death, educate on legacy planning, and build community. This type of event had not existed in Toronto, and Michael wanted to make it not only accessible to those working within the field, but to the general public who will all need this valuable knowledge at some point.

In May 2024, the first Expo was born. It featured 17 exhibitors and had 150 attendees coming in off the streets. The When You Die Project was lucky enough to be one of those first exhibitors, and see how much the public appreciated having such important information all in one place. By December 2024 Toronto had seen three expos, and Heather Kirk of Damselfly Death Doula travelled to attend the third one. Michael’s hope was always for the Legacy Expo to grow. In June of 2025 that hope became a reality when the When You Die Project and Heather teamed up to host the first Legacy Expo outside of Toronto - In Ottawa, Ontario.

The first Ottawa Legacy Expo was a three day event hosting a community of liked minded individuals. The first event was a Death Over Drafts night, where people came together over their preferred beverage to openly discuss death, dying, and what it all means. The second event was a film screening of When You Die's first film: In the Realm of Death & Dreaming, a film that examines what happens to consciousness when we die, near death experiences, and other phenomena at happens at the end of life. And lastly was the Legacy Expo. Twenty-Seven vendors were present, with a presentation on how to speak with children about death. This Expo showcased some of what Ottawa has to offer when it comes to the end of life field.

Funeral homes, Death Doulas, death educators, and more were present, allowing the public to view a snapshot of what's available to them in their own community.

When the team at Damselfly Death Doula and the When You Die Project first met to discuss the expo, they wanted to make it a weekend of events allowing people to have a choice of what they wanted to explore. This concept thrilled Michael, and after the Expo he reached out to the organizers to have a discussion about the future of the Legacy Expo. Michael wanted to pass on his ownership of the Legacy Expo. It was always meant to be a community building event, but he recognized that with the help of new organizers it could really grow. In September 2025 The Legacy Expo officially became a partnership between Damselfly Death Doula and the When You Die Project. They are excited to continue to bring the Legacy Expo Weekend of Events to Ottawa in 2026, and look forward to helping others bring the Legacy Expo to their communities. 

If you're interested in learning about how to bring the Legacy Expo to your community reach out now!